Cover for hose connections



May 7, 1929. ROTHFUS 1,712,232

COVER FOR HOSE CONNECTIONS Filed March l, 1927 Patented May 7, 1929.

RABEB, E. RO'IHFUS, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

COVER FOR HOSE CONNECTIONS.

Application filed March 1, 1927. Serial No. 171,895.

This invention relates to a cap or cover designed more particularly foruse on fire hose connections of buildings, such caps being temporarilyapplied to the inlet ends of these connections for the purpose ofprotecting them against being plugged up or obstructed by maliciouspersons.

Its objects are to provide a breakable cover of this character which issimple and inex-v pensive in construction, which is held firmly andreliably in place against accidental removal which is universallyadaptable to c011- nections or fittings of various styles and sizes, andwhich can be readily detached by firemen in case of fire.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view, in dottedlines, of one type of hose connection, showing my improved coversapplied thereto. Figure 2 2 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinalsection thereof in the plane of line 22, Fig. 1. Figure 3 is a sectionalsideview of the same taken on line 33, Fig. 2. Figure 4 is a top planview of the cover.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views.

By way of example, my improved breakable cover is shown applied to eachof the inlet branches 10, 10 of a well known type of fire hoseconnection such as are applied to the exterior of buildings and to whichthe fire hose is adapted to be connected in case of fire. Swiveled onthe end of each branch 10 is an internally-threaded collar 11 to whichthe customary threaded coupling of the fire hose is attached, whendesired. This collar is provided at its diametrically opposite sideswith the usual bosses or projections 12 for receiving a suitable toolfor rotating it.

Detachably applied to the collar 11 is a cover 13 of cast iron and ofcircular shape, the same being somewhat larger in diameter than thestandard size of such collars so as to render said cover applicable toother collars which may vary as to their external diameter. Castintegral with the marginal rim or flange of the cover at itsdiametrically opposite sides are outwardly-facing frangible lugs or cars14 by means of which the cover is attached to the collar, and for thispurpose U-shaped bolts 15 are provided whose looped ends engage thecorresponding projections 12 on said collar while the legs thereof passthrough openings 16 in the cover-lugs, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.Nuts 17 applied to the threaded ends of the bolt-legs serve to securelyand reliably hold the cover in place 011 the collar. The openings 16 arepreferably located in a saw cut or groove 18 formed ap- 6 proximately atthe junction of the lugs 14- with the cover, so that the lugsareweakened at this point to facilitate their breakage from the body ofthe cover when it is desired to remove the latter and attach the firehose 5 to the collar 11.

For the purpose of readily adapting the cover to larger-sized connectioncollars, its lugs 14 may be provided with punch marks 19 which serve toproperly locate the posi- 7 tion for the bolt-receiving holes to bedrilled for such larger collars. It is to be understood that for onlyslight variations in the external diameter of the collars the inner setof holes are used. The use of the U-bolts 15 makes it possible toconveniently attach the cover to collars wherein the projections 12 arelocated at different distances from the outer edge thereof.

When it is desired to remove the cover to enable the fire hose to beattached to the swiveled collar, the fireman takes his hatchet and witha single blow on each lug 14. severs them from the cover along the sawcut 18, after which, if found necessary, he gives each of the U-bolts ablow outwardly thereby releasing the cover from the collar and allowinit to fall to the ground.

While being inexpensive, this improved breakable cover is reliably heldon the fire hose connection and it can be quickly removed therefrom incase of fire by a few blows of a spanner or hatchet. Furthermore, itsparticular design and adjustment features render it universallyadaptable to the various styles and sizes of hose connections now in usewithout in any way altering their structure.

I claim as my invention 1. An attachment for fire hose connections ofvarying sizes, comprising a cover having a marginal, outwardly-facingrim and attaching lugs extending outwardly from diametrically oppositesides of said rim, the cover-rim being of a size-to fit fire hoseconnections ranging from a small size to larger sizes, and 7 means forholdlng the cover to the connec- 5 tion,'the cover-lugs being adaptedfor attachment to the holding means at different distances from thecover-axis.

2. An attachment for fire hose connections trying sizes.

RABER E. ROTHFUS.

